How do I deal with clinical sites treating students like garbage?

[PaulicusFrumkinius]

So I am a nursing student studying to be an LVN and we do our clinicals at SNFs and subacute facilities. Their treatment of students has been bordering on ridiculous. We're not allowed a place to sit down and put down our stuff for pre and post conferences. We're not allowed to bring our bags work us and are supposed to keep them in our cars. No "talking, laughing or excessive smiling in the hallways." No drinking water in the hallways so we have to step outside. We can't be at the nursing station to see the charts, but we're not allowed to use any tables either. So we have to stand to the side, holding the charts and our notes and using our legs as writing surfaces. And then we get yelled at for crowding the halls or called "The Flamingo Bunch" by passing nurses and staff. We are not allowed to bring our food for lunch and it's in an area where the cheapest lunch is 15-20 bucks and that's hard on a nursing student. And worst of all there's this social worker whose transgressions against me are too many to name. So my question is this: is this something that I'm just going to have to tolerate or is there something I can do about it? Oh and they also keep taking my pens. So there's that.

[Pampam82]

Nursing school is just one of those hit or miss things. During my LPN training I met some great people and I met some people that really made me question the profession. As some others have stated it is definitely something you just have to deal with. Whenever you experience something negative, simply make a mental note of it. It will help to shape who you become as a nurse. You wont treat anyone the way you have been treated. Its just a learning process all around.

To all of you who have taken the time out of your day to come at these questions with an over abundance of negativity, YOU are dragging the nursing profession down. I can only imagine how your patients must feel when you respond to the questions that they have. Not everyone wants to be babied when they make these inquiries. Sometimes its ok to just say, Nursing school is going to suck at times but keep your head up and you'll get through it. You were a student at one point and I'm sure that encouragement went a lot farther than receiving a snarky response to your questions.

To the OP, You got this!.....and hide your pens because nurses like me will snatch them up all day : )

[scotchf]

The life of a nursing student is tough. You are the lowest on the totem pole. We have all been there because we are nurses. This is a test about self advocating. Are you going to cry or will you do something about it?

Excessive smiling? I would do it to piss them off! But, I am an RN and suffered quietly during nursing school.

Self advocate, but know the RN is the front line. Some of us are harsh, most are kind. We want to teach the young, but not at the expense of patient safety

I love students. However, my patients come first.

Please don't think I am trying to be rude. Talk to your clinical instructor and resolve this problem before it affects your nursing career.

All the best wishes for your career.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I had 2 clinical rotations where the staff nurses were openly hostile toward students. Some of my classmates went to a SNF that was do bad the school stopped sending nursing students there, and the state shut it down about a year later. Definitely keep your clinical instructor advised, and go into detail on your site evaluation. And when you're finally on the other side, don't let yourself become "that nurse", who mistreats students just because they can.

[Heylove, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Nursing school is hard, yo.

Seriously though, I had a tough time, too. You're just going to have to grin (not too much) and just get through it. Nursing school is absolutely a piece of cake compared to the real working world of a nurse. Consider learning to navigate situations and how to deal with different personalities as an extension of your education, because it is.

Pens? They are stealing your PENS? Oh good heavens, I hope you're bringing the nice ones.

[AnxietyMaven, BSN, RN]

I'm curious how you get time to sit down??

"If you're sitting down then you aren't learning or working"

"If every single patient on the floor has had all of their vitals and ADLs done for that shift then you might have time to sit."

These are both quotes from my clinical instructors.

Be the difference. Be the student that works your tail off and shows the staff that you came to learn and work, especially if they aren't very warm towards you.

Ask yourself: do you do all of the patient care that you can? Vitals, all ADLs, feeding if needed, changing linens, changing and cleaning soiled diapers? If you don't know what to do then ask what you can help with and ignore any attitudes.

[tell it like it is]

Get used to it. The staff loves to pretend they are training you useful idiots by having you do their new admits. At least 4 hours of paperwork, when they cannot dump that off on co-workers, they love to pass that 'experience' off on student nurses "for their own good". On the other hand, after student nurses become staff nurses, they hate having to orientate new nurses because they cant take short cuts, so they like to dump that off on student nurses or new employees. Such a shame we are supposed to be in this field to help and enhance others, yet so many succumb to this "dog eat dog"/dump your work off on others It is an everyday, ongoing reality for most of us

[tell it like it is]

I never get to sit down, let alone take a break. Only the nicotine junkies get to go out as often as they please and subject their patients and others to second hand smoke......while, many times, ironically, they restrict pstient's smoking times while they beat it into us that this is their home, we should be mindful of their rights, etc.

The truth is, if you take that 15 minute break because your legs and back feel like they have been beaten with baseball bats, you will have to stay over for at least the amount of time you took off but then some because there is no way humanly possible that anyone can get all that meticulous, redundant, and totally irrelevant paper work done in a mere 8 hours. And just when you think they possibly could not come up with more, they torture us like we are criminals by creating more and mire and more mountains of paperwork. Forget your break, your health, getting out on time. Non stop treats or punishment or coercion. Do this or else...do that and you will suffer te consequences 'up to and including termination' .

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I never sat as a student or an aide, certainly not at the nurses' station. And yes, I got out of the way of doctors who needed the charts or a place to sit and write their progress notes, as an RN. We also have to give up our computers

for them now in the modern era. Still, there is only so much room and there is work that has to get done.

As students, we reported to the ward after the staff had finished Report. We were able to take breaks and go get food

in the hospital cafeteria, which is not the case for you, so, as suggested by a PP, carry food in your pockets - eat when and where you can.

There really was no room for us to bring coats, books, backpacks, etc. Since most people lived in the dorm attached to the hospital, it wasn't really an issue. Even the few married students were expected to leave their things in the room that was provided in the dorm for them.

Never let your pens out of your hand or pocket!

What is up with the Social Worker?

This phase will pass. Hang in there. Be nice to students when you are a nurse. Be nice now to the staff. Maybe your group could bring in some bagels and cream cheese, donuts, a fruit tray, whatever once in a while. It's not that expensive if you all pitch in and will let staff know you appreciate them.

[TruvyNurse]

I'm here to tell you this is not a new or unheard of thing. We had several facilities we did clinical at where they were downright mean. You just deal and let the time pass. Try to make the best of it and LEARN. Be respectful even if they aren't.

[PaulicusFrumkinius]

Regarding the food , no I can't keep it in the car. It gets really really hot in the car. Not a good place to keep food And we have to park about half a mile away. It takes half the lunch just to get there sometimes.

[Med Surg RN, BSN, RN]

I would definitely report to clinical instructor and escalate as needed. Do not forget that your tuition is PAYING the facility to host your clinicals there. So yes you do have some say in this. You are PAYING to be there and you do not deserve to be treated this way.